First performed at his solo exhibition in NAFA, Art School SG: This One is Dangerous (2022), the performance is an exploration of the concept of 希望 (hope) and its relation to Tang Da Wu’s artistic practice. This version of 望出一个希 (literally meaning 'gazing until 希 appears') involved Tang priming on the canvas with earth and acrylic before he continued to perform the actions of gazing and marking the word “希” on the canvas.
希望(pronounced ‘xi wang’) is the Chinese word for ‘Hope’. Taken apart, 希 originally refers to loosely woven linen, and by extension is also used to describe sparseness; while 望 possesses the meaning of ‘gazing’. Interestingly, 希 is also pronounced similarly to the English word ‘see’, making both 希 and 望 expressing the idea of looking. Tang interprets the term to describe the idea and qualities of ‘Hope’, such that it is something rare and difficult, something we can only find by looking through the little gaps within a loosely woven linen, that we can never be able to fully observe or grasp. However, for Tang, ‘hope’ is not about making a prayer and simply looking for something to happen, but an active effort to make something happen.
During the performance, Tang first painted the word ‘望’ with earth on the wall to begin the performance. After priming the canvas with earth and acrylic, he brought it back up and proceeded to gaze across the audience, seemingly waiting for something to happen. He then turned around to face the canvas and uses a penknife to cut on it. Repeating for a few times, the word ‘希’ can be seen marked out by him with several cuts on the canvas. In doing so, he has managed to 望出一个希 (gazing until 希 appears); making the word appear not simply by gazing, but by his conscious actions of marking it on the canvas.
Detail pictures:
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